Basic Death Benefit

Upon death of owner, available during accumulation phase, benefit will be greater of (A) The Declared Rate Account value plus the Segment Value(s) of all the Guaranteed Interest Segments plus the Segment Investment(s) of all the Indexed Segments (does not include Interim Value) or (B) The Contract Value plus the Market Value Adjustment, but only if the Market Value Adjustment increases the death benefit. If any Owner is not a natural person, the death of the Annuitant is treated as the death of an Owner.